piles
12 synonyms for piles, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A large amount of something.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use piles
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
piles of work
suffer from piles
The medical sense is informal — "haemorrhoids" is the clinical term.
Etymology
Comes from Latin pila, meaning "ball".
Full origin of piles →Frequently asked questions
What does “piles” mean?
The word “piles” means a large amount of something. In plain terms, either "a huge amount of something" or, medically, haemorrhoids.
How do you pronounce “piles”?
“Piles” is pronounced pylz (/paɪlz/ in IPA).
How do you use “piles” in a sentence?
Here is “piles” used in a sentence: “She has piles of unread books on her nightstand.”
What part of speech is “piles”?
“Piles” is a noun.
Is “piles” a common word?
“Piles” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “piles” have?
“Piles” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large amount of something.
Is "piles" a medical term for haemorrhoids?
"Piles" is an informal British English term for haemorrhoids rather than a formal medical one, though it is widely understood and commonly used by doctors and patients alike in everyday conversation. "Haemorrhoids" remains the clinical term used in medical documentation.
Is "piles" used differently in American and British English?
The medical sense of "piles," meaning haemorrhoids, is more common in British English than in American English, where "hemorrhoids" is the usual term used in casual speech as well as medically. The sense meaning a large amount of something is used in both varieties.
